'Ello!
Start with chapter 1 right here. Chapter 2 is also right here.
Lyion was reeling from Myra’s revelation. His father was behind, or at least authorized, the Great Massacre, the worst witch-craft hanging in Valmont’s history? It was said that a thousand people had been killed or hurt. No, it wasn’t possible. Lyion knew his father, and that man would not have done this. There was no way, whatsoever, that this was true. The villagers must have made it up. They must have somehow--forget that it was impossible--duplicated the royal seal. Myra sat down next to him, which was somehow comforting. Lyion hesitantly put his head on her shoulder, half expecting that she would leave. He was surprised when her hand came from nowhere and stroked his hair. So the infamous Kerri did have a heart.
“It happens, Lyion,” she said. Lyion was silent for a while, still trying to wrap his mind around the folder in his hands.
“Why did he have to do that Myra?” he asked. Then Lyion stopped. That wasn’t what he had meant to say. He wasn’t the son of a killer.
Myra looked at him with a tiny, miniscule glint of pity in her expression. “You don’t want to know.”
Lyion sat up and looked at Myra’s face. She looked back at him steadily. “How do you know so much about my family?” he asked slowly.
Her gaze focused into the distance.“I’ve been studying, just like your father.”
“What?!”
“Your father has been studying me, ever since he declared I was a criminal. And, well, a few weeks before he started studying me, I started studying him.”
Lyion looked at Myra in bewilderment. “How do you know he was studying you?” Not to mention why the two were studying each other in the first place.
“I have my ways,” she answered evasively.
Lyion suddenly thought of something. “Is that how you know so much about me too?”
Myra nodded. Lyion sat up, thinking. “Well, I guess I understand why you were studying me too. It’s because I’m next in line for the throne, right?”
Myra’s gaze flickered, but all she said was “yes.”
The trip back to the forest was uneventful and quiet. Lyion was too caught up in his thoughts to talk, and Myra was just letting him be. When they reached the rock where they had met earlier, Myra glanced at Lyion.
“See you later,” she said quietly.
Lyion frowned. “Where are you going?”
“I live in the forest, if that’s what you mean,” she answered. Her lips turned into a tiny smile as Lyion blushed.
“I knew that,” he muttered. “Bye.”
“Bye.”
Myra turned to look over her shoulder, and Lyion could see the suspicion in her gaze when she did. Then it disappeared, to be replaced with wary acceptance.
“Lyion.”
Lyion stepped out from behind the tree, having second thoughts. Why he followed her, he didn’t know. He opened his mouth, but she held up a hand, looking away. Although, before she did, Lyion thought he saw...amusement? No, he imagined it.
“I can’t tell you where I live.” Lyion looked at her in amazement. How did she know that was what he was going to ask?
“Oh.” He stared at his feet, “Okay then.” He glanced up, which was a mistake. Myra’s face registered surprise for a moment, then reverted to a careful blankness. She then turned away.
“Don’t you have an appointment with your father?” she asked. Lyion started. He had forgotten that his father had told him, a few days ago, to meet him in the ballroom today. Lyion hesitated before he left.
“Myra?” he asked tentatively, “What did you see when you looked at me in the eye just now?” Myra didn’t answer. Lyion walked up behind her. “Myra?”
She turned, glanced at him, and then left, disappearing into the trees.
Lyion trudged back to the palace, still wondering what Myra saw. When he got to his room, he cleaned up and dressed formally, as his father had insisted, and then went to the ballroom. King Albert was waiting at the foot of the great stairs, and Lyion decided he was being introduced to someone, as his father always made someone new walk down the stairs.
“Your Majesty.” Lyion said, bowing.
“Ah, Lyion! I wanted you to meet Lady Clementine of Aelcrest. Her father is thinking of joining us against Morbush.” Morbush, a kingdom to the south, was currently locked in a power struggle against Valmont and her eastern ally, Castle Lochiron. The king gestured at the top of the stairs. “Clementine!” A blonde haired girl around Lyion’s age walked down the great stairs with the poise and grace of a lady.
“Your Most Royal Majesty, Your Highness.” she said, curtsying to Albert and Lyion.
“It’s an honor, Lady Clementine,” Lyion said.
Clementine smiled at Lyion. “The honor is mine, and please, call me Clem. All my friends do.” Lyion nodded, amused at his father’s obvious fondness for the girl.
“Lyion, I would like you to show Lady Clementine around the palace and garden.”
“Of course. Do you wish to start now, Clem, or another time?”
Clem seemed to think, then said, “whatever you prefer, Your Highness.”
Lyion saw another admiring look on his father’s face and almost laughed.
“Oh no, you are the guest, after all. When would you prefer?”
“Later, than, if it is convenient.”
“Of course it is.”
Clem curtsied again, and then headed off to her room. Lyion, on the other hand, bowed to his father and then left for the bathroom before he could be held back. Of course, the bathroom was an excuse, and instead he went to the forest again. No one was there, of course, but Lyon couldn’t suppress the feeling that someone was watching him.
“Hello?” he called. No one answered. Lyion sat on the rock Myra had sat on before, thinking, wondering once again what Myra had seen in him that had surprised her. Where did she live, anyway? Why couldn’t she tell him? And what was it with that seal on the folder? How did the villagers even come up with the plot to do that? And how, in Glindra’s creativity, was Myra tied up in all of this? Lyion tried to remember which way Myra had gone, and headed off in that general direction. “Myra?” he whispered several times. “Myra, where are you?” No one answered, but Lyion just kept going, until, finally, he came upon something. Or someone, for that matter.
“Clem!”
Clem hurried to his side. “Your Highness! What are you doing here?”
Lyion shook his head. “I might ask you the same question!”
Clem blushed. “Well, I was looking for you, of course. Didn’t your father tell you to never go anywhere alone?”
Lyion glanced at her in puzzlement. “Why not? I’ve been here a lot, and nothing ever happened to me!”
Clem glanced around. “Didn’t you hear? Weren't you told? Kerri has come!”
Lyion gasped. They had found Myra! “K-Kerri’s here?!” he asked, masking his alarm.
“Yes! And, rumor is, she’s looking for you!”
Lyion’s eyes widened. “That’s a scary thought!”
Clem studied him carefully. “Come on, she might be here already!” She led the way through the forest, running towards the clearing where Lyion had met Myra earlier. When they reached the clearing, Clem and Lyion stopped to catch their breath. Before they began again, a voice called out.
“Hello.” Myra stepped out from the trees and looked at Clem. Lyion smiled, but, remembering just in time, hid it before Clem could see.
“W-who are you?” Clem asked, fear clear on her face. Myra tilted her head.
“Lyion knows who I am, Clem. You don’t have to pretend.”
The fear dropped from Clem’s face like a mask dropping to the floor. “Have you told him everything?”
Myra glanced at Lyion, who was gaping at both the girls. “What do you think?”
Clem smiled.“It’s great to see you again, Myra!”
They hugged each other as Lyion watched with his mouth open. Finally, he spoke.
“What’s going on?” Clem glanced at him as he looked at Myra, then at Myra with a raised eyebrow. Myra caught her look and nodded. “Clem and I are old friends.”
Lyion’s jaw dropped again.
“B-but...”
“Don’t try to understand it, just accept it,” Clem advised, then, to Myra, said, “I met the king today.” Myra nodded thoughtfully, although Lyion didn’t notice.
Lyion butted in. “How do you know I won’t tell the king what you guys are saying here?”
Clem smirked as her eyebrow went up again. “First of all, he wouldn’t believe you. I mean, would you believe it if your sister said she knew the most wanted criminal in Valmont, and then this lady you two just met--who he obviously likes, by the way--is her friend? And, second, if Myra trusts you, I trust you.”
“No. If I trust him and he passed the test.”
Clem nodded. “Yes, that’s true.”
Lyion was still confused. “What test? And who says my dad likes you?”
“How daft do you think I am?” Clem asked sarcastically. “Anyone could have been able to tell that he liked me.”
Myra raised her eyebrows. “And don’t you remember? I told you I was testing you and that you had passed. Today morning.”
“That was the test?!”
Clem laughed at the incredulous look on Lyion’s face, while Myra nodded, completely straight faced.
Then her expression changed again. Lyion was beginning to get annoyed from both the females’ constant reversals in demeanor.
“Clem,” she said quietly.
“Lyion?” Clem asked, equally calm. Myra gave a slight nod. Clem began pulling Lyion out of the forest with her without another question. He struggled, not wanting to leave Myra.
“Lyion, come on!” Clem hissed.
Lyion was about to refuse, when Myra said, “Go Lyion. I’ll be fine.” That was enough to let Clem pull him the last few feet so they couldn’t see Myra anymore. Then Lyion stopped struggling and sighed, willingly walking the rest of the way.
Myra disappeared into the trees after they left. She watched the path, waiting for them to appear. The ones who had been searching for her since she left her family, to bring her home, or so they said. Now they were the king’s friends, wanting to arrest her and get the reward money. If they were here, the king wasn’t far behind, which meant he suspected that Lyion had come to meet her, and that something happened to Clem. Ah, Clem. He trusted her too much. No one who knew Clem trusted her that much. But he didn’t trust Lyion, which was bad. Myra remembered reality when she heard the sound of soft footsteps. She was on alert immediately. A man appeared, looked around, and then shifted his foot. Myra saw his expectant look and realized something was going to happen. She slowly turned, looking up and down, to see if she could see anyone else. There! Through the trees, on her left, there were three others, searching for something.
Or someone.
Myra gave herself a slight smile, then creeped towards the intruders. This was her land. She had been hiding and watching here for seven months, learning the ways and paths of the forest by heart. No one else ventured in, unless they were traveling to see the king. Myra crept up a tree overhanging the three men, and watched, waiting for anything that would help her.
A few seconds later, one of the men thought he saw something on the ground. The other two men observed it, paying no attention to the slight shadow that jumped from above, landing behind them. A slight pressure on the windpipe, and then they woke up on the ground, memories of what had happened hazy.
Start with chapter 1 right here. Chapter 2 is also right here.
Lyion was reeling from Myra’s revelation. His father was behind, or at least authorized, the Great Massacre, the worst witch-craft hanging in Valmont’s history? It was said that a thousand people had been killed or hurt. No, it wasn’t possible. Lyion knew his father, and that man would not have done this. There was no way, whatsoever, that this was true. The villagers must have made it up. They must have somehow--forget that it was impossible--duplicated the royal seal. Myra sat down next to him, which was somehow comforting. Lyion hesitantly put his head on her shoulder, half expecting that she would leave. He was surprised when her hand came from nowhere and stroked his hair. So the infamous Kerri did have a heart.
“It happens, Lyion,” she said. Lyion was silent for a while, still trying to wrap his mind around the folder in his hands.
“Why did he have to do that Myra?” he asked. Then Lyion stopped. That wasn’t what he had meant to say. He wasn’t the son of a killer.
Myra looked at him with a tiny, miniscule glint of pity in her expression. “You don’t want to know.”
Lyion sat up and looked at Myra’s face. She looked back at him steadily. “How do you know so much about my family?” he asked slowly.
Her gaze focused into the distance.“I’ve been studying, just like your father.”
“What?!”
“Your father has been studying me, ever since he declared I was a criminal. And, well, a few weeks before he started studying me, I started studying him.”
Lyion looked at Myra in bewilderment. “How do you know he was studying you?” Not to mention why the two were studying each other in the first place.
“I have my ways,” she answered evasively.
Lyion suddenly thought of something. “Is that how you know so much about me too?”
Myra nodded. Lyion sat up, thinking. “Well, I guess I understand why you were studying me too. It’s because I’m next in line for the throne, right?”
Myra’s gaze flickered, but all she said was “yes.”
***
“See you later,” she said quietly.
Lyion frowned. “Where are you going?”
“I live in the forest, if that’s what you mean,” she answered. Her lips turned into a tiny smile as Lyion blushed.
“I knew that,” he muttered. “Bye.”
“Bye.”
***
“Lyion.”
Lyion stepped out from behind the tree, having second thoughts. Why he followed her, he didn’t know. He opened his mouth, but she held up a hand, looking away. Although, before she did, Lyion thought he saw...amusement? No, he imagined it.
“I can’t tell you where I live.” Lyion looked at her in amazement. How did she know that was what he was going to ask?
“Oh.” He stared at his feet, “Okay then.” He glanced up, which was a mistake. Myra’s face registered surprise for a moment, then reverted to a careful blankness. She then turned away.
“Don’t you have an appointment with your father?” she asked. Lyion started. He had forgotten that his father had told him, a few days ago, to meet him in the ballroom today. Lyion hesitated before he left.
“Myra?” he asked tentatively, “What did you see when you looked at me in the eye just now?” Myra didn’t answer. Lyion walked up behind her. “Myra?”
She turned, glanced at him, and then left, disappearing into the trees.
***
“Your Majesty.” Lyion said, bowing.
“Ah, Lyion! I wanted you to meet Lady Clementine of Aelcrest. Her father is thinking of joining us against Morbush.” Morbush, a kingdom to the south, was currently locked in a power struggle against Valmont and her eastern ally, Castle Lochiron. The king gestured at the top of the stairs. “Clementine!” A blonde haired girl around Lyion’s age walked down the great stairs with the poise and grace of a lady.
“Your Most Royal Majesty, Your Highness.” she said, curtsying to Albert and Lyion.
“It’s an honor, Lady Clementine,” Lyion said.
Clementine smiled at Lyion. “The honor is mine, and please, call me Clem. All my friends do.” Lyion nodded, amused at his father’s obvious fondness for the girl.
“Lyion, I would like you to show Lady Clementine around the palace and garden.”
“Of course. Do you wish to start now, Clem, or another time?”
Clem seemed to think, then said, “whatever you prefer, Your Highness.”
Lyion saw another admiring look on his father’s face and almost laughed.
“Oh no, you are the guest, after all. When would you prefer?”
“Later, than, if it is convenient.”
“Of course it is.”
Clem curtsied again, and then headed off to her room. Lyion, on the other hand, bowed to his father and then left for the bathroom before he could be held back. Of course, the bathroom was an excuse, and instead he went to the forest again. No one was there, of course, but Lyon couldn’t suppress the feeling that someone was watching him.
“Hello?” he called. No one answered. Lyion sat on the rock Myra had sat on before, thinking, wondering once again what Myra had seen in him that had surprised her. Where did she live, anyway? Why couldn’t she tell him? And what was it with that seal on the folder? How did the villagers even come up with the plot to do that? And how, in Glindra’s creativity, was Myra tied up in all of this? Lyion tried to remember which way Myra had gone, and headed off in that general direction. “Myra?” he whispered several times. “Myra, where are you?” No one answered, but Lyion just kept going, until, finally, he came upon something. Or someone, for that matter.
“Clem!”
Clem hurried to his side. “Your Highness! What are you doing here?”
Lyion shook his head. “I might ask you the same question!”
Clem blushed. “Well, I was looking for you, of course. Didn’t your father tell you to never go anywhere alone?”
Lyion glanced at her in puzzlement. “Why not? I’ve been here a lot, and nothing ever happened to me!”
Clem glanced around. “Didn’t you hear? Weren't you told? Kerri has come!”
Lyion gasped. They had found Myra! “K-Kerri’s here?!” he asked, masking his alarm.
“Yes! And, rumor is, she’s looking for you!”
Lyion’s eyes widened. “That’s a scary thought!”
Clem studied him carefully. “Come on, she might be here already!” She led the way through the forest, running towards the clearing where Lyion had met Myra earlier. When they reached the clearing, Clem and Lyion stopped to catch their breath. Before they began again, a voice called out.
“Hello.” Myra stepped out from the trees and looked at Clem. Lyion smiled, but, remembering just in time, hid it before Clem could see.
“W-who are you?” Clem asked, fear clear on her face. Myra tilted her head.
“Lyion knows who I am, Clem. You don’t have to pretend.”
The fear dropped from Clem’s face like a mask dropping to the floor. “Have you told him everything?”
Myra glanced at Lyion, who was gaping at both the girls. “What do you think?”
Clem smiled.“It’s great to see you again, Myra!”
They hugged each other as Lyion watched with his mouth open. Finally, he spoke.
“What’s going on?” Clem glanced at him as he looked at Myra, then at Myra with a raised eyebrow. Myra caught her look and nodded. “Clem and I are old friends.”
Lyion’s jaw dropped again.
“B-but...”
“Don’t try to understand it, just accept it,” Clem advised, then, to Myra, said, “I met the king today.” Myra nodded thoughtfully, although Lyion didn’t notice.
Lyion butted in. “How do you know I won’t tell the king what you guys are saying here?”
Clem smirked as her eyebrow went up again. “First of all, he wouldn’t believe you. I mean, would you believe it if your sister said she knew the most wanted criminal in Valmont, and then this lady you two just met--who he obviously likes, by the way--is her friend? And, second, if Myra trusts you, I trust you.”
“No. If I trust him and he passed the test.”
Clem nodded. “Yes, that’s true.”
Lyion was still confused. “What test? And who says my dad likes you?”
“How daft do you think I am?” Clem asked sarcastically. “Anyone could have been able to tell that he liked me.”
Myra raised her eyebrows. “And don’t you remember? I told you I was testing you and that you had passed. Today morning.”
“That was the test?!”
Clem laughed at the incredulous look on Lyion’s face, while Myra nodded, completely straight faced.
Then her expression changed again. Lyion was beginning to get annoyed from both the females’ constant reversals in demeanor.
“Clem,” she said quietly.
“Lyion?” Clem asked, equally calm. Myra gave a slight nod. Clem began pulling Lyion out of the forest with her without another question. He struggled, not wanting to leave Myra.
“Lyion, come on!” Clem hissed.
Lyion was about to refuse, when Myra said, “Go Lyion. I’ll be fine.” That was enough to let Clem pull him the last few feet so they couldn’t see Myra anymore. Then Lyion stopped struggling and sighed, willingly walking the rest of the way.
***
Or someone.
Myra gave herself a slight smile, then creeped towards the intruders. This was her land. She had been hiding and watching here for seven months, learning the ways and paths of the forest by heart. No one else ventured in, unless they were traveling to see the king. Myra crept up a tree overhanging the three men, and watched, waiting for anything that would help her.
A few seconds later, one of the men thought he saw something on the ground. The other two men observed it, paying no attention to the slight shadow that jumped from above, landing behind them. A slight pressure on the windpipe, and then they woke up on the ground, memories of what had happened hazy.
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